Southern Railway

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Clinchfield Railroad
CSX Blue RIdge Subdivision

The CSX Blue Ridge Subdivision, the old Clinchfield line south of Erwin is now reopen after the extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. The first revenue freight train ran on September 21st, and two coal trains followed on September 25th. Ribbon cutting photo by Mark Loewe. . Use this link to see Designs in Orbit’s exceptional video updates with drone footage. Also, Train Chaser Elliot provides wonderful coverage.  Click here to read about the monumental CSX rebuilding efforts on Clinchfield.org. In the weeks ahead we will add much more content chronicling the events of the past year.

Southern Railway and the Clinchfield

Even though they were fierce competitors, the Southern Railway and the Clinchfield benefited greatly from their connections and interchanges. It was a love-hate relationship, that played out in the legal courts, the regulatory commissions, and in the press. But in the end, both companies did work together in some instances such as trackage rights, interchange, and a coal port at Charleston SC.

Southern Railway Connections with the Clinchfield were at five locations:

  • Miller Yard – Initially with the Interstate Railroad, which was purchased by the Southern in 1960. This was in important coal and manifest delivery point for the Clinchfield. Besides the Southern, L&N interchanged freight with the Clinchfield at Miller Yard.
  • Frisco TN – A busy junction for many years that was a gateway to a very important trackage rights agreement between Norfolk Southern and CSX. Click here for more information on Frisco JCT.
  • Johnson City TN – In the center of town, the Clinchfield interchanged with the Southern line that ran between Knoxville TN and Roanoke VA.
  • Marion NC – The Southern’s line from Salisbury NC to Asheville NC interchanged with the Clinchfield.
  • Spartanburg SC – The original interchange for the two railroads where the Clinchfield would deliver hundreds of cars per day. It was the southern termination point for the Clinchfield. After several legal battles, the Clinchfield gained the approval to also connect with the Atlantic Coast Line and Piedmont & Northern at Spartanburg. Click here for more information on the Spartanburg Connection and Tunnel.

More content about Southern Railway and Clinchfield Connections to be added in the days ahead.

Frisco JCT by Ron Flanary

Narrative and Photo by Ron Flanary

August 16, 1986: An eastbound (now going south) is coming off the old connecting track between the NS Appalachia District and the former Clinchfield main (far left) at Frisco, TN. The junction switch is named “Click” on the latter.

Clinchfield CSX Railroad Frisco JCT - Photo by Ron Flanary
Clinchfield CSX Railroad Frisco JCT - Photo by Ron Flanary

August 9, 2009: I followed the CSX coal train I had photographed at Natural Tunnel all the way to Frisco, TN. Here, it’s just a few seconds from taking the connecting track off NS and onto its own rails as NS units flank the train on both sides.

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Clinchfield Railroad

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Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org